TODAY IN SPORTS HISTORY - JULY 31ST

1912 - RBC soccer team forms in Roosendaal.

1919 - Curt Gowdy, Green River Wyo, sportscaster (ABC) is born.

1923 - Jimmy Evert, American tennis coach and father of Chris Evert is born.
1928 - First woman to win a track and field olympic

gold medal, Halina Konopacka of Poland.

1934 - St Louis Cardinals defeat Cincinnati Reds 8-6 in 18 innings,

pitchers Dizzy Dean & Tony Freitos go the distant.
1936 - Tokyo Japan is awarded the 1940 Olympics (later cancelled).
1949 - Lightning strikes a baseball field in FL, kills SS & 3rd baseman.

1951 - Evonne Goolagong Cawley, NSW Aust, (Wimbledon 1971) is born.
1954 - Milwaukee Braves' Joe Adcock sets record of 18 total bases (4 hrs, 1 double).

1973 - ABA Virginia Squires trade Julius Erving to NY Nets.

1978 - Pete Rose ties NL record hitting streak at 44.
1980 - Rangers snap Orioles pitcher Steve Stone's 14-game winning streak.
1981 - 42 day old, 2nd major league baseball strike ends.

1984 - US men's Gymnastics team won team gold medal at LA Summer Olympics.
1987 - Oriole Eddie Murray hits his 299th & 300th career home runs.

1988 - Miami Dolphins beat SF 49ers 27-21 in London.
1988 - Willie Stargell became 200th man inducted in Baseball's Hall of Fame.
1990 - Nolan Ryan becomes 20th major league pitcher to win 300 games.
1992 - Tamas Darnyi swims world record/Olympics 200m backstroke (1:59.36).
1993 - A's trade Rickey Henderson to Blue Jays.

1997 - A's trade Mark McGwire to St Louis Cardinals.